


Along the Riverbank

by Tsubasa504



Category: Dr. STONE (Anime), Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: Gen, Manga Spoilers, Oneshot, Senku has reckless plans, Tsukasa & Senku tag-teaming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:42:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25047088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsubasa504/pseuds/Tsubasa504
Summary: In hindsight, it was pretty obvious something was going to happen. That something was going to go wrong. Because there is no way a ceasefire could ever be that simple. He's sprinting, trying to catch up and reaching for Tsukasa.
Relationships: Ishigami Senkuu & Shishiou Tsukasa
Comments: 3
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My take on the fight scene between Tsukasa & Senku vs. Hyoga.

In hindsight, it was pretty obvious something was going to happen. That something was going to go wrong. Because there is no way a ceasefire could ever be that simple. It was so freaking obvious! And yet, Senku missed it. He missed all the signs because, stupidly enough, he had been watching Tsukasa's reunion with his younger sister. He had been teary eyed and emotional, and swiping at his eyes more than usual. Glad for the fact that others seemed to be in no better state.

When it happens, he's not even sure how he notices. Not sure when words wrench themselves out of his throat and his legs start pushing hard against the rocky surface. Sprinting. Launching forward with desperation. He's racing towards Tsukasa, and begging for something. For anything. But most of all, for the world to turn upside its head and give Senku a fighting chance. "Watch out, Tsukasa!"

His words are late. Everything is late.

One moment, Tsukasa is whole, then there is a spear through him. Right through his left upper chest.

Senku doesn't hesitate to throw himself after Tsukasa as the man goes cantering off the cliff towards the rapid currents below. To grasp a hold and grip tight. Pulling uselessly with his non existing upper body strength. He curses and grips tight, refusing to let go.

"Senku..." Tsukasa gasps. His own strong hand tightening over Senku's hold and welding them fast together.

There is no chance for more words, the rocks explode under him and the wind rushes past his ears. Water flows into his mouth and nose and it is thanks to Tsukasa's left over strength that they reach the surface together. The man might be weakened, but he drags his right arm around Senku's waist and hauls them towards sandy banks.

Senku kicks uselessly at the heavy water and tries to help lessen the burden.

"Stop, you're not helping," Tsukasa tells him and glowers at him from under dark soaked bangs.

"You're bleeding, you shouldn't be…" He trails off, feeling useless and a burden, when all he had wanted to do was help. "Dammit!" He stills his previous movement and allows Tsukasa to tug him closer and take his weight, and instead seeks out the opening of the wound, pressing down harshly with the palm of his hand.

"Agh!"

They sag into the water and go spinning into a current. There is no breath to pull, only water clogging his mouth and nose. He winches at the pain and can't help but struggle to push them upwards, back to the surface; back to air.

When they breach, Tsukasa looks pale and shaken. His breath coming out, harsh and fast. "Sorry," Senku says, but doesn't let up the pressure of his hand.

"It's fine."

It's not. Nothing about this situation is fine. The shore looks further off and the water around them is slowly pinkening in color.

It's a long time coming when Senku finally feels stable ground under him and he's able to push and pull and get the two of them up onto the river bank. Tsukasa collapses almost instantly and Senku sinks down with him. And even though he did little work getting them here, Senku's hands shake and his lungs protest against each and every pull of his breath. They are far from the cliff. Far from any help.

He stills, freezing in place at a splash behind him. "Seems Hyoga followed us. You really know how to pick people, Tsukasa." His words are quiet, he hopes Tsukasa is coherent enough to hear him. "There is less than a 1 mm chance that I can win against him, you know."

"I promised you." It's a whisper in the winds and Senku barely catches the words.

A pained grin tugs on his lips and he presses closer to the large back of the injured man. "Yeah, but you're hardly in any shape to be getting up and going toe-to-toe with your crazy second-in-command."

"He likes talking."

Senku blinks at that and dares a brief look over his shoulder at the man behind him who takes his last large steps out of the river. "Let's hope it keeps him occupied enough."

"Senku-kun." The drawl of the other man's voice behind him causes a cold dreadful shiver to flow up and down his back. "I pierced Tsukasa-kun's chest. It's a fatal wound. You trying to save him is useless."

Senku grinds his teeth and glares over. "Saving a human life, any life, is never a useless endeavor."

"How childish of you," Hyoga says and levels his spear at him. "I thought you had more wit than that."

"Guess you thought wrong then," he taunts, squaring his shoulders and pushing his fear aside.

A dangerous look enters the man's eyes, and if there had been a hint of carefreeness before it's gone now. Replaced with smouldering eyes under tightly knitted brows. "I wasn't wrong in assuming you would try to save Tsukasa-kun."

"No. No, you weren't wrong. I guess you already knew the current would carry us here. Otherwise, you wouldn't have jumped in after us."

"Correct." Hyoga looks pleased. Looks like a cat who got the cream and will now also get the bird. "I wanted to talk to you. Privately."

"What is this, a high school confession behind the gym?" he says, a cheeky, confident grin on his face as he tilts his head up to meet cold eyes.

His hand is slippery. It's squishy and wet, and the blood is flowing freely over his fingers, staining the ground below. He feels the pressure. Feels the need to hurry. Hyoga might like talking and he might be able to get out of this by pulling out on their conversation, but Tsukasa doesn't have that time. His chest raises quickly, shallowly, underneath his hand, and it's a race against time. Stalling is over, and Senku needs to push the conversation to its main part.

"Tsukasa and I were in agreement," Hyoga begins, his step slow as he nears, like a lion who knows his prey is caught, "that the phenomenon that rained down upon humanity millenniums ago was a trial. A purge."

"Oh, what a brilliantly boring story." He tilts his head and picks at his ear. "In a scientific world, your selfish theory with no basis is but a joke."

A flash of pain tears through his cheek and he flinches back. Well, he had wanted to hurry their conversation along, so he can't do anything other than chuckle through the pain. "Does the truth hurt, Hyoga, or have you realized how much utter bullshit your mouth is spilling?"

Senku's eyes draw to the man's spear, noticing the white-knuckled grip. Just a little more and something interesting is sure to happen. He adjusts his grip on Tsukasa and pushes himself into a more stable position.

"Let's put an end to the lip-service, Senku-kun. You should know what this is about." The man grins, deranged, a cackle that echoes out over their little private river bank. "What I want. No, what humanity needs. Is a trial. Only those who excel should be allowed to live. The blight of the unworthy should just disappear. It is only rational."

"Rational?" Senku laughs, he can't help it. He pulls his hand through his water dredged hair and meets a maddening look with an equal one of his own. "I think you've got a few screws too many loose, Hyoga. Your dreams are nothing but irrational. There is no such thing as the blight of the unworthy. There is nothing that the combined strength of all seven billion people can't combat."

Hyoga growls, low and hard, and the sound hits at something primitive in Senku. He has no time to move to the side. No time to contemplate blocking. There is just a burning trail of fire moving over his lower left arm.

He holds in a scream, but his eyes are closed and when the next attack comes he is utterly unprepared.

The tip of the spear sings past his shoulder and clips him hard in the ear. They ring and buzz and his grip on Tsukasa falls loose. He grasps at the man's lax shoulders with blind seeking hands, but the sharp tip of a flint spear pushes down on the back of his hand.

"I thought you would understand, Senku-kun. You and I could rule this world. Together, we would be unstoppable."

Senku drags in a shaky breath and blinks open his eyes to glare up at the towering man. "There is nothing thrilling about ruling the world."

"I'll make you understand. I'll get you to see it my way." Hyoga leans down and warm, clammy fingers pull at Senku's chin and tugs his head up at an unnatural angle. It strains his shoulders and jerks his right hand up against the razor sharp tip of the spear, piercing the flesh and pulsating electric fire through his nerves that thud at the back of his mind. He stifles a gasp and jerks helplessly in Hyoga's grasp. "Whether it takes you to lose a leg or two in the process. Well… I'm sure we'll come to an agreement in the end. After all, I need you."

"How loving," Senku drawls out. The fingers tighten briefly. Tugging him forward swiftly and throwing him to the side. Senku skids, his right hand a constant pulsing pain as sand gathers in the deep, tearing, cut.

"With my power, and your ability, Senku-kun, to make guns and bombs and weaponry. We'll become the strongest duo."

"Sounds like a one-man show to me." Slowly, he pushes himself up. His body shakes and his arms feel unstable under him as he tries to level himself into a sitting position. He tries not to look over at Tsukasa's still form. Tries not to draw attention to the injured man. He has a feeling Hyoga would take great enjoyment in finishing the other man off.

He curls his right hand; feels how his range of motion has been reduced. The only good thing is that the cut is deep enough to dull most of the pain. He's running on adrenaline now, and that means that there is the possibility of a very reckless plan to work.

His feet are equally shaky under him, but he pushes up and takes a fist full of rocks up with him. "Go away!" he screams and throws his little bundle. Running on fear and hormones, and a terrible, dangerous plan is budding at the back of his mind. A desperate plan that has 10 billion percentage of working.

For once Senku plans on doing the protecting.

Unsurprisingly, Hyoga deflects the rocks with swift, fluid strikes. "What's this? Broken already?"

Senku stoops down, picks up some more. As he throws he moves slowly to the side.

Hyoga follows his journey with his eyes, remaining stationed over Tsukasa.

Tsking, Senku reaches for his pack and palms a heavy spherical object. It's now or never, he tells himself and proceeds to tip most of its contest down on the ground behind him. "What, Hyoga, too scared to attack me again? Afraid I'll throw more rocks?"

"I'm hardly afraid of some rocks, Senku-kun."

Humming, Senku tilts his head and brings the dark spherical object into view, tossing it up and down carelessly. "Then, how about this?"

Whatever carefree stans Hyoga has had on the fight previously evaporates and a blank expression falls over the man's features.

Senku chuckles. "Is this what you were talking about before? My bomb making skills." He glances up and over at Hyoga and tries to put as much arrogance as he can muster into his stance. "How do you think you will manage against it?"

A heavy silence falls over them. Hyoga's eyes are fast on the bomb in his hands. Finally, the man says slowly, each word measured and careful, "You won't throw it. You wouldn't want to accidentally kill Tsukasa-kun, would you?"

"He's already a dead man, didn't you say so yourself," he counters and puts as much teeth as he can into his words. "What's one more corpse?"

It's fleeting, but it's there. Hyoga hesitates.

With a final deep breath, Senku curls his injured right arm and hurls the bomb. As Hyoga dodges, diving to the side, Senku wraps his left hand with the partially destroyed leather bands that got torn in the first hit.

It's just a few seconds, but it's enough for him to realize their plan is foolproof. It's a few seconds of Hyoga covering his face and eyes, expecting a bomb to go off, and it's all they need. The setup is complete.

Hurling himself backwards a few steps he brings up his right bloodied hand to point at Hyoga, laughing as deep and hard as his lungs allow. "A priceless expression! Oh, how right you are, Hyoga. If you only had a little more faith in yourself, maybe you wouldn't have jumped away so scared."

The cocky, arrogant words are all fake. There is nothing safe about what he is doing. Nothing but reckless. He's playing with his life. Everything is about the fast beating pulse in his ears and the numb inducing pain of his cut up arms and hands. It's a play. A stage set, and the curtains are soon ready to drop.

It's the end act.

True to his character, Hyoga spares not a moment to think before he lunges. Senku's ready. The fear in his eyes or the slow raise of his hands to defend himself is not an act. There is no need to act, just trust that Hyoga's spear aims, true and right, at his heart. And trust that the hard metal vest will hold.

For all he's ready, Senku still feels his ribs snap like strung up rubberbands upon the impact. It's fire and ice, and every breath is an agonising battle as he tries to keep them shallow and even, whilst his vision flickers and dark blackness licks at his consciousness.

A resounding boom follows soon after.

He grins up at nothing. Tsukasa had followed through. Senku had laid the trap and Tsukasa had sprung it. He might not have thrown a bomb but he did throw a canteen of gunpowder. After that, it had been up to Tsukasa to hit flint against flint and light it all up the moment Hyoga was in it.

"You!" Hyoga shouts, loud and clear, and Senku flinches hard enough to almost lose his battle with the blackness. "Tsukasa-kun, in your current state, do you truly believe you can rival me? Do you think your worthless attempts stand even a chance?"

There is a sarcastic insult on the tip of his tongue. Sadly, he has neither energy to word it nor intention to bring that fiery, hot anger of Hyoga's back on him.

What a monster, he thinks as he looks over at Hyoga. There is not a scratch on the man's body. Caught completely as he was in a circle of gunpowder and to come away unscathed; it beats all reason of logic.

Rolling over is painful, moving is painful. There isn't a bone in his body that doesn't hurt, but there is one final move to put Tsukasa and him on the winning side. With Hyoga's back turned to him, Senku can move freely. It's a slow process. One crawling move at a time that tugs sand into jagged wounds and sets his tired nerves alight. A bombardment of nerve information that keeps him conscious. Gives him the little strength he needs to push forward one step at a time.

"Why do you continue this pathetic fight?" Hyoga continues. His steps slow and measured as he makes his way over to where Tsukasa has moved into a sitting position, one hand over his deep wound.

"Who knows," Tsukasa answers. A quiet, tired voice completely unlike his normal commanding tone. "Maybe I just wanted to fight on a little longer. It might be because it was so much fun… this short-lived alliance."

"How terribly sad. Even the fun times will come to an end for you soon, Tsukasa-kun."

It's a small pocket in time. Just for Senku and Tsukasa. Their eyes meet for a brief, fleeting moment and Senku smiles warmly. The pain is a constant buzz, pulsing through him. "Yeah, it was fun," he agrees and presses his home-made, on the spot, stungun into Hyoga's leg.

The world goes up in sparks. An intense smell of burned flesh hits them and Hyoga's scream echoes hauntingly over the river even after he has collapsed silent on the ground.

Senku lays there startled, blinking, for a long time, staring almost horrified at the results of his little home-made battery-and-stungun combo. "Oh…"

It's Tsukasa's large warm hand covering his eyes that pulls him back to the present. "You okay?" the man asks.

Senku just presses himself harder into the darkness given by the hand and breathes slowly, counting to ten or maybe twenty. There is a buzzing in his ears and a painful pull in his chest. "Is he…?" He swallows, unable to word the whole question.

"Just unconscious," Tsukasa answers, and a small part of the tightness lessens.

"I'm fine now," Senku finally says and reaches up to pull Tsukasa's hand down, gripping it tight in his own two, unable to let go. "I'm fine."

Tsukasa sighs. "I don't think either of us are fine, Senku."

He swallows, takes in the shaky blood hands of his that are gripping Tsukasa tight and the way the man's breath is short and hard and sweat is glistering on his brow, and nods slowly. His laugh is a little hollow when it escapes him. "So, ever want to tag-team again?"

Tsukasa draws in a startled breath before he also lets out a light laugh. "No. You're a menace on the battlefield, Senku. I think it might be best for all of us if you leave the fighting to the professionals."


	2. Chapter 2

Stone crumbles away and becomes fine dust, and cold skin becomes warm and whole. "Mirai." It's a whisper of something revered. She's alive and well, smiling tiredly up at him.

"Brother?" A nice, beautiful voice. So unlike the childish one of his childhood that he remembers. This is the voice of a young lady. Tears come to his eyes at the thought of all those missed years. All that time that she has remained asleep, clinically brain-dead, in a hospital bed, hocked up on wires and all kinds of medications.

"Yeah, it's me."

She laughs and throws her thin arms around him. He feels the press of her ribcage into his chest and can't help himself but tighten his grip around her. There will be no more nutrients through a tube. She will finally be able to eat real food. To gain weight like a normal girl. A girl with a future outside the hospital room.

"You look older. How long has I been asleep?"

"Six years. No, thousands and thousands of years," he answers breathing in the fresh scent of her, it's light and earthy much like nature itself. Tsukasa can't help but love it.

"Thou-thousands?"

Whatever should he say to that? How is he supposed to tell her? Where to start, in the pre-stone world or at the beginning of their new lives a year ago?

Before he has the chance to open his mouth, Mirai has pulled away and is looking around bewildered. "Where is mother? And the hospital?"

There is a deep forgotten pain pulsing through him. Their kind distant mother who spent most of her time by Mirai's bed, constantly hoping, praying. "I'm sorry, Mirai," he says, gently tugging her back into another hug. "Mother passed away."

"Oh." No words escape her. She clings tighter to him. Always so kind and always filled with so many emotions. Tsukasa is sure Mirai will mourn for their mother. She will mourn for the both of them. For Tsukasa, their mother's passing was only a relief. There had been no need to mourn. His coach had hardly given him a day off to attend the funeral, and it was a long time in the waiting for their mother to be finally mourned and put to rest by those closest to her. Even if thousands of years have already passed.

"The world has changed, Mirai. There is so much I-we have to tell you."

A gentle tred of footsteps stops him from continuing. Hyoga leans his weight into his spear next to them. "There are still stone fragments upon you. They mar your beauty. Why don't you go wash it off in the river over there."

Tsukasa glares up at the other man, a sharp retort on the tip of his tongue. The stone fragments did not mar Mirai's young beauty!

Mirai lifts a hand to peel a small stone off her arm, looking at it intensely, her nose wrinkling a little, and Tsukasa can't help but find it adorable. "Why am I covered in stone fragments."

Laughing, he picks it out of her hand. "Later. I promise I'll tell you everything later. Why don't you go wash."

She nods, standing a little shakily before hurrying over to the river. Where she stops to stare long and hard at herself. "I'm older!"

"Of course you are. You've been asleep 6 years."

"Six years," she repeats and drags soft fingers over the outline of her features. "I slept for so long."

A sad smile pulls on his lips and he steps back rapidly so that she won't catch sight of it in the river's reflection. As he does so, a resounding boom echoes out over the forest and billowing smoke rises over the treetops.

The caves!

He tenses ready to spring forward, but hesitates. Mirai has just woken up. He can't leave her. The part of him that wants to protect over wins the part of him that wants to fight, and he takes a step back towards Mirai. Trying to place her safely behind him.

"Watch out, Tsukasa!" The voice is Senku. It's distinct and Tsukasa feels like he would know it anywhere. Part of him is turning towards Senku even though he knows he is supposed to be watching out for something.

"It is I, who has waited," Hyoga sneers hardly a few steps to his side. "I've waited so long for the moment where you would have something to protect."

His heart is beating rapidly in his ears. Mirai is too close to hyoga. Too close! His normal stable hands and cold, analytical mind when it comes to fighting forsake him. All he can think; all he can do is lunge himself between them, hands to slow to grasp a hold of the twisting, twirling spear.

A brief pain.

It takes his breath, but hardly more than that. The shock hits him immediately. He sees the handle of the spear protrude from his chest, but he's not comprehending. He's not living in reality. His heart is a drumroll in his ears, his blood a swishing river through his head. He feels the squish of his flesh tugging and ripping as the spear is pulled back, and as the last part of the tip leaves his flesh, a torrent of pain shots up his shoulders, over his back and his knees buckle helplessly underneath him.

Mirai needs to be protected. Mirai needs him, she's just woken up. She's all he can think about. All that is able to pierce through the pain and lay over his mind like a mantra.

Mirai.

But it's not Mirai before him. There is a tuft of white-green hair and a calloused hand. The grib rips at his injured shoulder and Tsukasa can hardly take a breath. "Senku." Panicked wide-eyes stare down at him. Why down he doesn't know. And why panicked. He had killed Senku just a year ago, so why does he have to look so scared? Of all the people who have been revived, it shouldn't have to be Senku who grasps Tsukasa so tight, with such a desperate look upon his face.

The world is ticking slowly by. From the moment Senku grasped his hand to them cantering over the edge, an eternity has passed. The fall feels freeing. Wind rushing through his ears and so many possibilities have time to play out through his mind before they hit the water. The cold shock shoots energy through his limbs and he feels a sense of need return. The numb feeling falls away, giving him the strength he needs to tighten his grip on Senku's lax hand and tug them up towards the surface. The currents are pushing them rapidly downstreams, tugging and turning them, and hardly giving them the time to stabilize before it sends them off-balance and under into its deadly depths.

Senku kicks next to him, his weight off-balancing Tsukasa even more and tugging at his arms, which just builds on the burning fire coursing through his chest. He won't be able to keep them up longer if this continues. "Stop, you're not helping."

The younger man is gasping and spluttering next to him and the desperate expression has yet to fall away. "But you're bleeding. You shouldn't be... Dammit!"

He's angry for my sake, Tsukasa thinks, staring in wonder down at the messy mob of white-green hair. He's so preoccupied by amazing over the fact that the man he had killed would be this desperately angry for him that he is not prepared to deal with the influx of pain that comes. It shots like a volcano through him, chased soon after by a numb inducing feeling that stops all his motor skills in place. When they sink under, he hasn't mind enough to even breathe. It's the kicking of leathered feet against his that wakes him up enough to realize they're under water and dangerously close to getting sucked into an underwater current that might trap them down below.

With desperate pulls of his arms and kicks of his feet, the two of them breach the surface. There is breath that Tsukasa greatly wants to pull into his lungs but is unable to. His chest only expands so much before a primitive, unconscious part of his mind takes over and forces any other unnecessary movement to a stop. There is too little oxygen and his eyes are shaky and double-visioned when he tries to look for the riverbank.

"Sorry," Senku says. He has stopped fighting to stay up-right himself now and it is easier for Tsukasa to bear his weight.

"It's fine," he answers. And it is. Senku pressing down hard on the opening is helping Tsukasa retain much needed coherence. If Senku worries about his wound, then he can worry about getting them to shore and if it takes some extra pain to get him working enough to do that, it's fine.

Maybe the wound is dangerous enough that Tsukasa can't even bother worrying about it. Maybe he knows he's dying. Either way, a little extra blood and a little extra pain is something he can deal with as long as the two of them don't die in the river.

The moment the ground meets his feet, the final breath escapes him. He feels as if someone took a scissor to his strings and cut them. Legs and arms that would move earlier, refuse to abide to his command. He hardly feels the scrap of sand against his legs and hands, and it's a relief to collapse upon grassy banks and do nothing but try to push needed air into his lungs.

Senku is right there with him. Hand a stable hold to staunch the blood flow. It's nice not to be alone right now Tsukasa feels. Nice to know he won't die alone. He wants to tell Senku he's sorry. He wants to make up for things long passed but not forgotten. He bites down on those words because Senku is the last person who should have to accept an apology from him, even if he is dying.

"Hyoga followed us," Senku whispers close to his ear. "You really know how to pick people, Tsukasa. There is less than a 1 mm chance that I can win against him, you know."

A compliment or an insult. Tsukasa wishes he could give a little more damn because, right now, he's barely gasping in enough air to keep conscious and dealing with Hyoga is simply too much. However, Tsukasa can feel the shake of Senku's hand even through his own shivering tremors that wrack his body at irregular intervals. "I promised you."

A huffy laugh breaths over the side of his face. "Yeah, but you're hardly in any shape to be getting up and going toe-to-toe with your crazy second-in-command."

A sad truth. Oh, how he wishes to deny it, but he can hardly lift his hand; can't even turn his head enough to make eye contact with Senku. It shouldn't be like this. If Tsukasa has to die, it's fine, however, Senku shouldn't have to bear the burden of dealing with Hyoga. Not by himself. Not when Tsukasa is right here and he has a promise to uphold. A promise he refuses to break even through death. "He likes talking." It's a small thing. It's probably not enough, but Senku is amazing. He will certainly do something with that. Maybe he will hold off long enough for others to come. The ever loyal Taiju is probably racing down the forest path as they speak. It's just a few moments. Senku will surely hold out until then.

Hyoga's voice is a pleased drawl when he speaks. It's sweet words of victory and Tsukasa musters up enough energy to blare miserable and angry at a nearby stone boulder. If he was healthy and well, he could easily lift it and bash the man who dared aim at his younger sister to get at him and who is now advancing threateningly at the man Tsukasa has promised to protect.

"Tsukasa-kun and I were in agreement that the phenomenon that rained down upon humanity millenniums ago was a trail. A purge."

Yes, they had been in agreement. No adults were needed in this new world. In this world free of the terrible blackness that politicians, salarymen, governmental officials, even teachers and coaches had put over society. Free of the locked up regime that they had set up that regulated everything and nothing. Tsukasa happily fought next to Hyoga to avoid that future blackness again.

However, if he had to pick between a world where his little sister could live and no adults, then he would happily throw himself back into the hateful cage that the adults around him had locked him into, figuratively speaking. He would give it all up for his sister. His very freedom, his life, none of it matters. So, when Senku gave him this one true gift, no amount of hate for adults could make him go against Senku again.

He doesn't catch Senku's reply, too busy regulating his breathing and staying conscious. But he hears his cry of pain clear enough. Jerks awake long enough to hear Senku throwing insults at Hyoga, and that was so not what Tsukasa had had in mind when he mentioned that his second-in-command likes talking. He desperately hopes that Senku has a plan for this because weakened and barely conscious as he is, Tsukasa can clearly hear the anger rising in the man's voice. Soon, he will attack. Will wield his spear and charge at Senku, who is more bone than muscle.

Dammit, Senku, he thinks and tries to get at least his hand to obey him enough to make a fist into the dirt. Any kind of sign to show to Senku that he is conscious and willing to help. If he has to raise from hell itself to be able to do so then he darn well will!

He drags in a startled breath when he feels Senku's hand jerk away from over his wound, one of his fingers catching on the edge of it and sending searing fire through his veins, up his neck and into his ears where the sound of his rushing blood blocks out the outside world.

He is not sure how long it takes him to push back into reality. To push the pain back far enough to concentrate on the sounds around him. When he does so, he realizes that Senku is no longer next to him.

You got this, Tsukasa, he tells himself. Steady breaths, and one, two, three. He rolls. The most painful, jar inducing roll in his whole life, but Tsukasa can finally see the back legs of Hyoga close to him and Senku who is eyeing him critically across the grassy bank. There is something round and dark in his hands. He catches the word "bomb" and swallows nervously. Senku wasn't planning on throwing that, was he? There is no way Tsukasa will survive.

But throw it he does. A pathetic throw. The kind of throw that even a five year old can catch without thought. However, Hyoga is not thinking correctly apparently because he's throwing himself to the ground far off, hands over head and curled in tight.

The dark container rolls slowly to a stop close to Tsukasa. Not a boom in sight. He blinks at it and reaches over gently to see what it contains.

Black powder. Gun powder.

He's injured and he's slow, but he can hear the click of realization in his mind loud and clear. Senku is looking over at him, a cocky, pleased smile over his wild beaten features, and his eyes shift to a spot on the ground that Tsukasa realizes is the trap.

If he could, he'd throw the stupid pot right back at Senku and tell him he's an idiot. Gunpowder is powerful, but it's not unbeatable. He had managed to come away from a huge hit of it relatively unharmed. Hyoga would be no different.

Senku is not listening to his glaring eyes, though. He's preoccupied taunting Hyoga more, and Tsukasa can't understand for the life of him why.

At least he can't until Hyoga is lunging at him, the spear aimed to pierce just the same as he had with Tsukasa. Senku doesn't even try to dodge, just stands there accepting it. It's his death all over again, and it's something Tsukasa has relieved in his own nightmares often enough.

No! Stop!

Desperate words that wish to flee his mouth. His muscles tense in need of action. He wants to fight; wants to press forward and take down. If he could only get shaky feet under him, but he can't. There is only a black pathetic trail on the ground; his only means of retaliation. And he lights the match with angered, desperate vehemence.

He catches dark eyes as they widen. Then Hyoga is enveloped in smoke and fire and the whole river side is echoing with a violent boom.

"You," Hyoga shouts at him as he whips his tunic off of himself and gathers the reaching trails of fire up with it and throws it off to the side. As Tsukasa had thought, not a scratch marred the man's skin. "Tsukasa-kun, in your current state, do you truly believe you can rival me? Do you think your worthless attempts stand even a chance?"

Yes, Tsukasa wants to say, but chooses to intensify his glare instead. The man hardly deserves his words after what he did. He shifts his position and pushes up onto his knees, his right hand coming up to press against the gaping hole in his front.

"Why do you continue this pathetic fight?" Hyoga says. His steps slow and measured as he makes his way over.

There is movement behind Hyoga. Senku is moving. It's a relief, but at the same time wonder courses through him. How?

The man is moving slowly, agonsing pulls of his arms to get closer and Tsukasa starts realizing that there is going to be a final attack. There is something in those desperate, red eyes that says hell is about to be rained down upon Hyoga. He withholds a smile and fixes cool eyes on the man approaching him.

"Who knows," Tsukasa answers. Dragging out on the words as much as he can muster. It's not too difficult with how many lungfuls of air he needs just to say one word. "Maybe I just wanted to fight on a little longer. It might be because it was so much fun… this short-lived alliance."

Hyoga is buying it. Buying their pathetic attempt to occupy his time by talking and Senku creeps closer, slowly but surely. "How terribly sad. Even the fun times will come to an end for you soon, Tsukasa-kun."

There is a smile on Senku's face. They are so close now, just Hyoga between them. "Yeah, it was fun."

There were many types of attacks Tsukasa was ready for, the one Senku used did not even hit top 10 of what he could have guessed. Maybe would not even have hit top 50.

Hyoga screams like never before, his body jerking, hands falling lax only to shudder tight and clenched again and even his scream was cut off when his muscles tightened up too much for him to breathe in enough air to continue. It was a horrendous sight.

Tsukasa watches it all with startled eyes, his own pain falling away at the sight of the downed man. A strong burnt scent lingers in the air around them. When Senku fought, he never fought fair, it was the only thing Tsukasa could think of. That if there is one place Senku should never be allowed to be it is clearly the battlefield. It's one thing to take down your enemies with your own power, a fair one-to-one fight. It's completely different to overwhelm in this way. Even the strongest man would bend to the power of science.

It's enough that for a short moment the worry of science ruling the world again comes back. But it's only for a moment. The flash of Mirai in his mind is enough for him to accept and move on with his hate.

And Senku looks the most shaken.

It's a sad, telling sight. Senku who might be cocky and arrogant in what he knows is not a fighter. Tsukasa is slowly learning that. Senku has no wish for violence or dominance. He just wants to build and invent and he simply has a mind that knows too much, but he has no bad ill towards people.

He won't make weaponry. He won't make chains and cages, of that Tsukasa understands. Others might, but not Senku. And for that Tsukasa will survive this. Survive this wound and protect Senku and take down any who wish to use Senku's ideas and thoughts and abilities to rule and control.

Yeah, Tsukasa will destroy those people.

He still aches all over and the pain is pulsing through him, but Senku looks to be in shock and Tsukasa can't help but reach over and cover those wide red eyes. It's partially because he can't stand the sight of it. It feels bitter and annoying to know he had been unable to protect like he should. Like he had caused the physical and mental wounds that now scarred Senku.

"You okay?" He doesn't think the younger man is, but as always, Senku is stubborn and he lowers his hand and meets his eyes with refreshing determination.

"Is he…?"

"Just unconscious." Small shoulders sag in relief.

Yeah, it's best Senku is off the battlefield from now on. The younger man doesn't want to hurt people, and Tsukasa doesn't want him to have to either. Not again. Not like this. Scientific weapons have always been too dangerous and Senku doesn't know how to fight differently.

"Next time, let's leave the fighting to the professionals, alright?"


End file.
